Han Oak opened in 2016 as a live/work space in Kerns, where chef Peter Cho and his wife Sun Young Park set out to build a home as much as a restaurant. Guests are served a preset menu that changes but consistently draws on the Korean dishes Cho grew up eating, filtered through Oregon ingredients.
Cho was born in Korea and raised in Oregon, learning to cook alongside his mother before earning a degree at the University of Oregon. He spent 12 years in New York City's restaurant world, eventually working as executive chef and director for a restaurant group, before he and Park returned to Portland to open Han Oak.
The restaurant has built a long record with the James Beard Foundation, including a Best New Restaurant semifinalist nod in 2017, Best Chef semifinalist and finalist recognition across 2018 through 2020, a Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific semifinalist nod in 2023, and an Outstanding Hospitality semifinalist nod in 2024. Its visibility widened further after an appearance on Netflix's "Somebody Feed Phil," and regulars often point to the prix fixe format as strong value for what lands on the table.
Han Oak's family expanded in 2023 with the opening of sister restaurant Jeju, also in Portland, centered on wood-fired Korean barbecue and whole-animal butchery.
Cho was born in Korea and raised in Oregon, learning to cook alongside his mother before earning a degree at the University of Oregon. He spent 12 years in New York City's restaurant world, eventually working as executive chef and director for a restaurant group, before he and Park returned to Portland to open Han Oak.
The restaurant has built a long record with the James Beard Foundation, including a Best New Restaurant semifinalist nod in 2017, Best Chef semifinalist and finalist recognition across 2018 through 2020, a Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific semifinalist nod in 2023, and an Outstanding Hospitality semifinalist nod in 2024. Its visibility widened further after an appearance on Netflix's "Somebody Feed Phil," and regulars often point to the prix fixe format as strong value for what lands on the table.
Han Oak's family expanded in 2023 with the opening of sister restaurant Jeju, also in Portland, centered on wood-fired Korean barbecue and whole-animal butchery.